Once Upon a Friendship

He didn’t need Liam. He had his real family there.

* * *

“GO AFTER THEM.” Gabi gave Liam a push.

“I’m not leaving you out here.”

“Go, Liam. They’re your family. He specifically asked you to be here. He wants you with him. It’s where you belong.” Her heart was breaking, but she knew the words were true. And had to be said.

He had what he’d always wanted. Proof that his father loved him. That when the chips were down his old man would be there with him.

He had his rea

l family.

He didn’t need her anymore.

“I’ll see that she gets home,” Elliott Tanner said from behind her. She’d forgotten that he was there.

When Liam nodded, but looked at her one last time, she smiled. Gestured toward the door. “Hurry,” she said.

She knew, when he strode quickly away from her, that she’d done the right thing. He’d be back in his father’s graces, such as they were. Back in his condo. In his job. In his life. Whatever feelings he’d had for Gabi would fade, as she’d always known they would. As he’d acknowledged they would.

In time, he’d probably come around again. Sit with her and Marie and confess his sins, such as they were. Maybe have some dinner. He’d help with the business of owning the Arapahoe.

And someday, maybe they’d even be best friends again.

But for now, Gabi had to walk way. To leave him behind. She had to find her own life, separate from him.

She had to love him enough to set him free.

* * *

IT WAS LATE at night before Liam made it back to the apartment building. Past midnight. He’d tried to get away earlier but couldn’t leave Tamara. Or his father, either. It was going to take some time for him to feel like Missy was anything other than an adulterer in his mother’s marriage, but even as he felt the anger, he knew his emotions were unfair.

A challenge he’d face at another time.

His father was resigned to doing some jail time. Liam was inclined to think that he’d be offered a deal—his full cooperation in exchange for no jail time. And a hefty fine—enough to pay back all of the investors who’d lost money due to George Costas.

In the meantime, the plan was to keep Connelly Investments open. With Liam having a more active role in the company. He was going to write. But he was his father’s son.

While he’d never been given much of a chance to dabble with the investments, the thrill of carefully calculated risk, gambling, was in his blood.

He took the stairs two at a time, not wanting to announce his late arrival to the whole building with the old elevator clanking its way up the chamber.

Two security lights were out in the stairwell. He’d make sure they got changed in the morning.

Walter had asked him to move home. Or at the very least back into the condo. Liam had suggested, instead, that Tamara and Missy take it over. They could keep the Florida home as a vacation property.

He wasn’t sure that was going to happen, either, though. Their home, their lives, were in Florida.

Regardless, for now, Liam was going to stay right where he was. Where he ended up in the future was not up to him.

There was no way to know if Gabi and Marie were still awake. The fact that they might be asleep wasn’t going to stop him, in any event.

He knocked as loudly as he dared with other residents living down the hall.

And then knocked again, standing in front of the peephole so they’d be able to see it was him.